Open Directory Project, popularly know by its DMOZ by webmasters is “The Web Directory”. Its not only free to add your site to it, but once your site is listed in DMOZ, hundreds of smaller web directories including Google Directory get some or all of their data from DMOZ. This means a site listed in DMOZ is guaranteed several listings in smaller web directories.
DMOZ like most projects are usually beset by all sorts of problems, but the question uppermost in most webmaster minds is usually “why is my site now listed” or
“When will my site be listed”? In a recent Interview, Temi Odurinde put some of the questions webmasters like addressed to a DMOZ editor. The full interview can be read at UK Webmaster World Forums. Excepts from its can be read below:
UK WW: The big crash DMOZ was supposed to have had wiped off lots of database, can you shed lights on this?
DMOZ Editor: The crash affected mainly the editing side of things, very few listed sites (if any) were lost. The only dater lost was sites waiting to be reviewed by an editor or those unreviewed due to being faulty. Many editing notes that are included when an editor adds/edits or deletes a site were also lost.
UK WW: I know DMOZ has a comprehensive list of things you should do to get your site listed, can you simplify it to just 5 tips you think could help one get listed in DMOZ quickly.
DMOZ Editor: Use the correct title, not the one best for your SEO purposes.
1)Use the correct and main url (if your site is www.acme.com/ submit that not acme.com/sales this just delays things more.
2)Write your description from an outsiders point of view, don’t repeat any keywords and avoid hype. Ensure the correct use of caps and don’t put your title in the description.
3)Make sure your submitted site is complete and has no dead pages. Sites submitted incomplete, under construction or with dead links etc will be rejected.
4)Ensure your site is submitted to the correct section of the directory. Remember the bigger the category you submit to the longer it will take to get listed. If for example you are a web designer and your site fits Computers/Internet/Web_Design_and_Development/Designers/Full_Service/ this will probable take a great deal longer than say a walk in shop located in Florida with 20 or so sites listed. Locality listings require a location address and do tend to get listed quicker.
UK WW: Some members of our forums said to put the following questions to you:
Question: Why are they not accepting directory submission while they have tons of crap blogs and buts listed there? What is wrong with directories?
DMOZ Editor: If you are referring to web directories please see http://dmoz.org/Business/Directories/ This is just a small section of directories listed.
UK WW Member: Most of the time directories are well edited and well look after. Yet they only list directories affiliated with editors only. What is wrong there?
DMOZ Editor: This is a misconception, editors are required to inform the OPD of any affiliated sites and display their own sites for all editors to see. Any editor manipulating a category or refusing to add competitors sites will have all editing privileges removed.
UK WW Member: What is it different from personal blogs, made for adsense blogs, proxy sites, etc?? What is the justification?
DMOZ Editor: Ad sense sites are aimed at redirecting the viewer for the purpose of financial gain only and consist of links to other sites only. These are not considered of any factual quality. Sites containing partial ad sense are acceptable providing they are not the soul purpose of the site in question.
UK WW Member: What should I do to get my sites accepted, since I read the guide and followed them every time, but no success so far
DMOZ Editor: See above 1-5 suggestions.
UK WW Member:
My question is, how many urls do they have waiting for approval?
DMOZ Editor: Not an easy one to answer, the directory has approximately 4,830,584 sites listed and over 590,000 categories calculating those waiting for approval would mean checking all countries of the world individually and then totalling them. At I guess I would say around 200.000
UK WW Member: Why is there such disparity in accepting editors? I have seen an application rejected, then a few weeks later the identical application submitted by a different person and they were accepted. I personally was refused 3 times, yet have written 5 applications for friends who were accepted as editors and are doing a fine job. This tells me that personalities come into play more than the quality of application.
DMOZ Editor: Many factors determine the acceptance or rejection of editor applications.
Appling for too big a category being the first. Chose one that has less than 50 sites and no editor, possibly your home town. Then apply for another town when that category is cracked and you have learnt the ways of Dmoz editing. Slowly moving up the ladder is the only way.
Incorrect submission examples, poor spelling, bad abbreviation, incorrect titles/url’s etc are another reason. Always check you examples are not already listed in the directory, submitting listed sited shows you have not looked that deep into the directory sites included.
Don’t expect to get in on your first attempt however good your application is, rejection is part of your learning to be not only a good editor but one that has good and polite communication skills. Politely reply to the rejection email and try again.
Remember Dmoz wants new editors but will not except you simply to clear sites. The quality of listing takes priority over quantity.